Cranksgiving Downtown Columbia

Cranksgiving is an annual charity cycling event held in Downtown Columbia, MD, that combines cycling with community service. Hosted by the Downtown Columbia Partnership and the Howard County Office of Transportation, Cranksgiving offers residents a chance to engage in active recreation while raising awareness about Howard County’s bikeable pathways and collecting food donations for individuals and families in need.

Participants ride into Downtown Columbia with food donations for Grassroots Crisis Intervention. Cyclists of all skill levels are welcome, making it a family-friendly event that fosters camaraderie among the local cycling community while supporting those in need.

The county’s Office of Transportation has mapped out biking routes to the drop-off location from all Columbia Villages and other points across the county.

Where: The Plaza at The Mall in Columbia

Competition: Columbia Villages, along with any other interested communities, are invited to compete to see who can donate the most. Each village will have a designated table, staffed by a volunteer provided by the Downtown Columbia Partnership, where residents can drop off their contributions. At the end of the event, we will announce the winning village based on the total donations received. (If you live outside of Columbia but want your community to participate in the challenge, please contact us). 

About the Name: The name "Cranksgiving" is a playful combination of "crank," a part of a bicycle, and "Thanksgiving," a holiday focused on gratitude and giving. It perfectly captures both the cycling focus and charitable spirit of the event, which takes place during the Thanksgiving season.

Prizes: The first one hundred registrants will receive a really cool commemorative event shirt. Deadline to receive shirt is noon on 10/31. 

New This Year: Attendees will also have the opportunity to join members from HCPD’s Community Outreach and Pathways Section on a group ride starting from The Other Barn in Oakland Mills (5851 Robert Oliver Pl, Columbia) to the Mall in Columbia and back. The group ride will start at 10AM and is a great way for younger and/or less experienced riders to bike to the collection location from a Village Center with seasoned cyclists as guides.

List of most needed items

• Canned Meals:  Chef Boyardee-any kind, Beef Stew, Corned Beef Hash, Canned Chili, Chicken & Dumplings, Canned Tamales
• Canned Meats:  Chicken, Spam, Vienna Sausage, Salmon, Sardines, Corned Beef, Ham
• Chunky or Progresso Soups-Any variety
• Condensed Soups-Chicken Noodle, Tomato, Cream of Mushroom, Cream of Chicken, Vegetable Beef
• Knorr Side Dish Pouches-Rice or Pasta
• Fruit Cups or Applesauce Cups